European Research Infrastructure Consortium

A European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) is a legal form under European Union law that allows several countries to jointly establish and operate a research infrastructure of European interest. An ERIC is set up by a decision of the European Commission and, from the date that decision takes effect, has legal personality and the most extensive legal capacity accorded to legal entities under the law of each of its member countries.

The membership of an ERIC must include at least one EU member state and two further countries that are either member states or countries associated to the EU research framework programme. Its statutory seat must be located on the territory of a member that is a member state or an associated country, and its name must include the initialism ERIC.

An ERIC operates principally on a non-economic basis, although it may carry out limited economic activities closely related to its principal task. It is recognised by its host country as an international body for the purposes of exemption from value-added tax and excise duty, and may adopt its own procurement rules.

The legal form was created by Council Regulation (EC) No 723/2009, which entered into force on 28 August 2009, and was amended in 2013 to allow associated countries to participate on the same footing as member states. The first ERIC, SHARE-ERIC, was established in March 2011. As of August 2026, the European Commission lists 32 ERICs.